


The Soulmate Network

by buthecatwastillalive



Category: Newsies!: the Musical - Fierstein/Menken
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, F/F, M/M, Multi, bear with me here, idk if anyone's already thought of this au idea but
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-18
Updated: 2019-09-17
Packaged: 2020-10-20 15:44:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,545
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20677868
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/buthecatwastillalive/pseuds/buthecatwastillalive
Summary: each person, at age 15, is given a specific password and username in order to be able to log onto Soulmate.net; the world’s online network for pairing you up with the person(s) you’re meant to be with. They generally choose the username themselves before they’re given a password. The username can be anything, but most people put hints about their appearance or name in their usernames. Once logged in, you cannot log out until you and your Soulmate(s) have met and fallen in love.





	The Soulmate Network

**Author's Note:**

> A quick guide for users(if you aren't able to guess)
> 
> redheadwithbedhead- Albert
> 
> SpriteCranberry- Spot
> 
> zoomzoom- Race

_ Race Higgins, welcome back to Soulmate.net! Chat with your soulmates below! _

Ah, yes. The Soulmate Network. Also known as the Network, Soulmate.net, or ‘the world’s system for putting you with the person(s) you’re meant to be with’. Race had gotten the Network at age fifteen, as did everyone else on Earth. They had the age at fifteen so, at a young age, people could get well acquainted and used to the idea of the Network, their soulmates, and hopefully, fall in love.

Along with putting you in a chatroom with your future significant other(s), the Network came with a strict set of rules.

Rule numero uno: You can’t know each other’s names until you meet.

Which was, in a sense, understandable. For some, though, they already knew their soulmate(s) in real life and were able to guess who their soulmate was based on a description of appearance and personality. Granted, it was harder than it sounds, but they still had it easy. Race had had the Network for almost three years and was yet to meet his soulmates/guess their names. Yes, soulmates. As in more than one. We’ll get to that in a moment.

Rule numero dos: You aren’t allowed to exchange phone numbers or emails until before you log out

Again, this rule was understandable. Again, some already knew their soulmate(s) in real life and _ already had their soulmate(s) contact information. _ The Network was still new, though, so they didn’t exactly mention all of this with the rule. Instead, they had teachers at schools explain some of the ironic situations where the rule wouldn’t even need to apply to you if you already knew your soulmate(s) and had their contact information. Race knew that this was a possibility since he was also aware that one of his soulmates went to the same school as him and lived in the same city as he did. His other soulmate was only an hour away by car.

Rule numero tres: You may mention your personal information, so long as you keep your name a secret. The soulmate chatroom is very secure and protected by the best cybersecurity. You may mention age, birthdays, first names of friends and/or siblings, events you are planning to attend, City/State/Region you live in(obviously not your address), the school you attend, teacher names/classes, appearance, etc.,

Very similar to the first rule, this rule broke down _ just how much of your life _ that you were able to share with your soulmates. This was one of the reasons that some were able to guess their soulmates early on, because sometimes they ended up being in the same class, in the same room, while they communicated with their soulmate(s). Race hadn’t mentioned a lot of the stuff that fit into this category, mostly because he often forgot some of them were even allowed to be shared with his soulmates.

Rule numero cuatro: You may have more than one soulmate. You should already be aware of this chance, but several people who end up with more than one soulmate tend to be a little unfamiliar with the idea of it, as this is a very new and complicated system. But if you get more than one soulmate, that’s just how it is.

Race considered this one more so as a warning rather than a rule since it described that it was just a precautionary measure one should take before entering a chatroom with their soulmate(s). This was also something that teachers explained to their students, saying that they might not have more than one soulmate, but just to accept it before they signed onto the Network in case they _ did _ have more than one soulmate.

Rule numero Cinco: You CANNOT request to limit the number of soulmates you have. Just accept the fact that you may have numerous soulmates and know that you also may not have numerous soulmates. Think of it as 50/50. You can’t bend fate.

This one had initially struck Race as a rule that seemed as if it could have fit just as well with the previous rule and given off the same message, but it wasn’t up to him. Whoever that had come up with the entire Soulmate Network idea was free to have two different rules, even if they would have probably been better as one rule.

Rule numero seis: You may choose to keep a documented account of all communication between you and your soulmate(s) before you log out. This will go onto a hard drive and be mailed to your address sometime after you request one.

Somewhat of a pointless add-on, but Race had understood the meaning behind the words. He knew of some _ very _sentimental people, and initially understood the idea of wanting to keep a document of all communication between yourself and your significant other(s). Kind of like love notes, but more advanced and random.

And, finally, Rule numero siete: If you are aromantic, you can register not to receive a username and password and instead sit back and watch your friends try and navigate the soulmate world.

Race hadn’t minded this one, because, of course, it hadn’t applied to him, and he could understand how amusing watching someone trying to navigate their love life could be.

Now, nearly three years later, on a lazy Tuesday after school, Race lounged on the couch in his living room, snacking on Doritos and completely alone except for his two soulmates that were texting him over the screen.

[redheadwithbedhead]

I’m telling you, dude. Cool Ranch is better than Nacho Cheese.

[zoomzoom]

And I beg to differ. Nacho cheese is better.

[redheadwithbedhead]

They don’t even taste like nacho cheese!

[zoomzoom]

Oh, come on. S, don’t you have an opinion on the matter?

[SpriteCranberry]

Not really, I eat both mixed into a giant bowl.

[redheadiwthbedhead]

gAsP. How can you stand that??

[SpriteCranberry]

I just don’t have a preference. I like sour cream and onion chips better than Doritos, so I don’t care if I eat both kinds of Doritos. Coach just tosses us mini bags of either and we don’t complain because either way, it’s food.

[zoomzoom]

You do have a point. Agree to disagree, Red?

[redheadwithbedhread]

Alright, Zoom. But only because we’ll eventually have to live with each other and our different opinions on chips.

[SpriteCranberry]

You know what's funny? How Red and I’s users are somewhat hinting at name/appearance and Zoom is just zoomzoom.

[zoomzoom]

It hints at my name! But you have to think about it a little is all. Are you saying that you look like a Sprite Cranberry can? Or that your name is Sprite Cranberry?

[SpriteCranberry]

God, no. The first letters of each word are my initials. 

[redheadwithbedhead]

  1. That makes sense. I thought you did it to be ironic.

[zoomzoom]

Are we even allowed to share initials?

[SpriteCranberry]

I mean, they never said that we can’t. We just have to keep our names a secret is all.

[redheadwithbedhead]

Hm. Okay.

[zoomzoom]

I’m gonna play it safe for now. Don’t know what the consequences are for breaking the rules.

[redheadwithbedhead]

You have a good point. They never said anything about what would happen if we broke the rules. Maybe they’d take your soulmates away from you?

[zoomzoom]

What, for like, ever?

[redheadwithbedhead]

Yes?

[SpriteCranberry]

That seems a little extreme, don’t you think? One person shares their initials/name with their soulmate(s) over the Network and then end up having to live their life alone?

[zoomzoom]

Well either that or they have to start over with a new soulmate

[SpriteCraberry]

How would that make sense? The whole point for the Network is to put you together with your soulmate(s) the first time around. I don’t think there’s a ‘start over’ button, Z

[redheadwithbedhead]

S has a point, but there's gotta be some sort of consequence for violating the Network's rules.

[zoomzoom]

I've got it.

[zoomzoom]

death

[SpriteCranberry]

Oh, please.

[zoomzoom]

Think about it. Have you ever actually heard about people who broke the rules of the Network? No, because they 

obviously killed them off and made it as if they never existed.

[redheadwithbedhead]

_ Or _ , on a lighter note, they _ just didn't break _ the rules.

[SpriteCranberry]

This has taken a rather dark turn, and while I'd love to stay and 

chat about Z's growing conspiracy theory, I have practice.

[zoomzoom]

Have fun with that, S.

[redheadwithbedhead]

That reminds me. I need to do some research for a project for History.

Something about world conquerors? See ya, Z

[zoomzoom]

Yeah, cool. I promised myself I'd binge-watch The Good Place, like, 

two seasons ago and I never got around to it.

[redheadwithbedhead]

Have fun, Z.

With that, Race closed out of the Network and resorted to checking his social media to see if any of his friends were online. Nada. He texted Jack, asking if he and Medda would be home anytime soon and waited ten minutes for a reply before shutting off his phone and turning on Netflix. At least he was following through on watching The Good Place, even if it was already almost on its last season and he was just starting to watch the first.

**Author's Note:**

> Hey! I hope you enjoyed the first chapter of this, even if it is really short lol.  
I didn't know exactly how to start, and I promise that the next chapter will be longer than this one was.
> 
> If anyone has any suggestions for the next chapter, I'll gladly take them! I sort of have an idea for what I'm going to do, but so far not much is completely planned out.
> 
> The next update should be sometime next week-ish, but don't be surprised if I don't get to it. I originally had a completely different first chapter planned, in which Albert had Secondary Insomnia and Race stayed up all night to keep him from being lonely and ended up functioning on multiple shots of espresso to be able to make it through the school day. I figured a short little starter chapter would perhaps be better because I just ended up regretting everything in the original draft and rewriting it to become this one.


End file.
